Help! Which ticket(s) for London?? 11 February 2019 at 1:34PM edited 11 February 2019 at 5:30PM in Public transport & cycling 9 replies 1.5K views

saintscouple

Hello, i'm confused and need help to get the cheapest train ticket(s).

I need to travel from Didcot Parkway on Sat 27th April to London Paddington, where i will drop my bag off at a hotel, then continue to Custom House for the Excel Centre (zone 3 I believe).
From there i will return the same day to my hotel near Paddington.

On Sunday 28th April, the next day, I will travel free of charge (Marathon Runner) to Blackheath, then from St James Park back to Paddington.

That same day I will travel from Paddington back to Didcot Parkway.

I was originally thinking i need 2 tickets, open return to Paddington and a 1 day travel card for the Saturday.

But looking at it now, would an open return from Didcot Parkway to London Zone 1,2,3 be valid for the journeys i need??
i.e would I be allowed to use the return part of the ticket on the saturday - from Custom House to Paddington, then again the next day on the Sunday from Paddington to Didcot Parkway?

Thank you

Just seen that contactless card payments are cheap on the underground, and have a daily cap.
So now thinking, open return to Paddington, and just use contactless when in London?

martindow

I would get an off peak return £29.90 (less if you have a railcard). You can book seats on a particular train if you like but you can use other services if you wish. Within London it is simplest to use a contactless card making sure you touch in and out correctly

martinbuckley

If you are only making one or two journeys on Saturday, then contactless would be your best option.

saintscouple

Many thanks, contactless in London it is. Setup my account, downloaded the app and registered my card so good go.

Thanks

saintscouple

Sorry, one further quick question - when buying the off-peak return train ticket from Didcot - Paddington, I have to select a certain train time. But can i travel on any off-peak train, not just the train time i've chosen? Not concerned so much on the outward train, it's the return train time that concerns me as i have to finish the marathon, got to hotel to pick up bags, then catch train - really can't guarantee i would make a certain time.

KeithP

Off Peak tickets are valid on all services on Saturdays and Sundays.

saintscouple

Thanks, that's put my mind at ease

saintscouple

Purchased an open return from didcot to paddington for £27.90 via the skyscanner app which saved me £2, and have set up my tfl account for contactless payments in London.

Thanks all

Chino

saintscouple wrote: »

and have set up my tfl account for contactless payments in London.

You didn't need to do that. You can use a contactless card on TfL services without registering the card.

Hannes2019

take the contactless for London